1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to coverings for architectural openings such as windows, doorways, archways, and the like, and more particularly to a vertically oriented shade anchored along a fixed edge to the frame of the architectural opening and having its opposite edge movable in a vertical plane within the architectural openings. A flexible, metal tape extends variably along one side of the opening perpendicularly to the fixed and movable edges of the shade, along the movable edge of the shade, and along a second side of the opening opposite the one side of the opening and in an opposite direction from the movable edge of the shade to positively but removably position the movable edge of the shade at any location within the architectural openings.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
Coverings for architectural openings such as windows, doors, archways, and the like have been in use for many years. Such coverings were initially simply fabric draped across the opening, but, in more recent years, retractable coverings have become popular. Such retractable coverings include venetian blinds, wherein horizontally disposed slats are suspended on cord or tape ladders so as to be vertically extended across the opening or retracted in stacked relationship along the top edge of the opening while each slat in the extended condition of the blind is capable of being pivoted about its longitudinal horizontal axis between open and closed positions. Vertical blinds are also available which work on the same principle as venetian blinds except where the slats are vertically suspended from a top edge and pivotal about longitudinal vertical axes.
Cellular shades have become popular in recent years wherein in one arrangement, a plurality of tubular cells are interconnected with the cells being transversely collapsible so that in an extended condition of the shade, the tubular cells are expanded and in aggregate extend across the architectural opening but can be retracted adjacent an edge of the opening with the cells transversely collapsed into closely adjacent stacked relationship with each other.
Similarly, some cellular shades are retracted onto a roller with an example being a shade wherein a pair of flexible fabric sheets, such as sheer, are suspended from a roller and interconnected by a plurality of vertically spaced horizontally extending flexible vanes. By shifting one sheet vertically relative to the other, the vanes are moved between open and closed positions. In the open condition, the vanes are disposed substantially horizontally to define spaces therebetween through which light and vision can pass and in the closed position are generally vertically oriented in parallel relationship with the sheets to block light and vision through the shade.
Many residential and commercial building structures utilize sliding doors in an architectural opening to provide access to the structure and coverings for such architectural openings can take numerous forms such as vertical blinds, venetian blinds, or roll-up or collapsible cellular shades. Alternative to these systems might be desirable for aesthetic purposes or to provide a system which would be more controllable.
It is to provide alternatives to conventional coverings for architectural openings, and particularly one which might have a use in an architectural opening with a sliding glass door, that the present invention has been developed.